Chapter 2: The Sound of Truth
The air in the trauma bay shifted from medical urgency to the freezing stillness of a crime scene. Officer Miller stepped into the hallway, cutting off Ethan and Victoria’s quiet retreat.
"Mr. Vance, I asked you to stay put," Miller repeated, his hand resting intentionally near his utility belt.
"Officer, this is absurd," Victoria interrupted, her voice gaining an architectural sharpness. "My daughter-in-law is a brilliant programmer, yes, but she suffers from severe paranoid schizophrenia. She probably planted that device to fuel her delusions. You cannot legally use a recording taken without consent in this state!"
"Actually, Victoria," I croaked out, my voice sounding like broken glass, but the words were perfectly clear. "In Illinois, the expectation of privacy doesn't apply during the commission of a violent felony. Check the statute."
Ethan’s face went entirely white. He looked at me, his eyes widening as he realized the 'unconscious, broken girl' he had dumped on the wet concrete was gone.
Dr. Mitchell handed the sealed specimen bag directly to Officer Miller. "This is forensic evidence now. And as a mandatory reporter, I am officially stating that the injuries on this patient's neck are inconsistent with self-inflicted scratches. These are manual strangulation marks from a hand much larger than her own."
Miller nodded, pulling out his radio. "Dispatch, send a secondary unit to St. Jude’s ER. I have a domestic battery suspect detained, potential upgrade to attempted homicide."
Hearing the word homicide, Ethan panicked. "Mom, do something!" he yelled, dropping his sorrowful husband act entirely.
"Calm down, Ethan," Victoria hissed, though her own polished exterior was beginning to crack. She turned to Miller. "Our attorneys will have this thrown out before sunrise. Audrey, you think you're clever? You’re broke without that company. Tomorrow, the board will see the psychiatric files."
"The board already has them," I whispered, forcing a painful smile through my swollen face. "Along with the digital signatures proving Ethan forged them from his IP address."
A second pair of officers burst through the ER doors, their heavy boots echoing on the linoleum. Before Ethan could even reach for his wool coat, he was thrown against the wall, his arms yanked behind his back. The sharp clink of handcuffs filled the corridor.
"You're arresting me?!" Ethan screamed, thrashing against the officers. "Look at my shirt! Look at my arm! She attacked me!"
"Save it for the detective, pal," the arresting officer said, dragging him out into the cold night rain. Victoria chased after them, her expensive heels clicking frantically, shouting threats about their family's legal power.
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Inside the bay, Dr. Mitchell gently squeezed my hand. "You did beautifully, Audrey. Now, let us take care of you."
As the IV fluids began to warm my veins, I closed my eyes. The battle for my life was over. The battle for my father's legacy was about to begin.
